Former Boise State football star faces sexual assault charge at Baylor

Former Boise State defensive end Sam Ukwuachu faces a sexual assault trial Aug. 17 in Texas stemming from an incident that occurred shortly after he was dismissed from the Broncos program.

Ukwuachu was a Freshman All-American for the Broncos in 2012 but was dismissed from the team for an unspecified violation of team rules in the spring of 2013.

Ukwuachu started 12 games in 2012. He wasn’t on the sideline for the Spring Game in 2013 and coach Chris Petersen indicated Ukwuachu had “personal things he’s taking care of.” Ukwuachu returned to the program before the end of the semester but his dismissal was announced May 7, 2013.

Ukwuachu transferred to Baylor but hasn’t played since he arrived in the fall of 2013. The school had indicated he would play this fall.

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The Waco Tribune story says the alleged incident with a Baylor student happened Oct. 20. Ukwuachu wasn’t charged until the summer of 2014.

“We are looking forward to the trial,” Ukwuachu’s attorney, Jonathan Sibley, told the newspaper. “Sam passed a polygraph exam, he’s been cleared by Baylor and has graduated and is 100 percent innocent of these charges against him. He has done everything a man can do to clear his name and he is looking forward to the trial so he can finally do that.”

The story says prosecutors have subpoenaed a Boise police officer, an assistant athletic director, Ukwuachu’s former roommate and a woman with whom he had a relationship in Boise. Records obtained from Boise State in the case detail a dispute between Ukwuachu and a woman that left him with a cut on his arm and prompted a police investigation.

A man who said he was the father of a Baylor student called the Idaho Statesman five days after the incident at Baylor to ask why he was dismissed from Boise State.

About Bronco Beat

Dave Southorn joined the Idaho Statesman staff in 2013 and has covered Boise State athletics since 2005. A 2004 University of Colorado graduate, he focuses on the Broncos' basketball and football teams.